I imagine if you are reading this review of the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: SEASON 4 soundtrack that you are a. A Bear McCreary fan, b. A soundtrack fan, c. A Battlestar Galactica fan, or d. All three. I'm in the "d" category and so am aware of my own and many fan sentiments about the music of the iconic space drama, "Battlestar Galactica."
Even if you didn't quite "get" Battlestar Galactica the music of Bear McCreary is nothing less than epically stellar.
My personal story of how I've come back to enjoying music after a rather protracted stint where modern music didn't grab me while much of the music of my younger years <sigh> I played only when I was feeling nostalgic.
Bear McCreary is just like any other devoted Battlestar Galactica fan with one crucial difference--he is the"13th Cylon," as Jamie Bamber correctly states in
(left) Limited Ed. Poster - Battlestar Galactica Orchestra
this 2-CD set's 20-Page CD booklet (which contains exclusive liner notes from the show's cast and crew). Bamber's comments about McCreary's music made me tear up. The comments about the music of BSG.
Bear McCreary doesn't just make beautiful, wondrous, soundtrack music, his music is not confined by genre--it stands alone.
It blows my mind every time I hear "Roslin and Adama Reunited" or “The Heart of the Sun.” When the orchestra builds to that last thunderous piece, a statement of the Colonial Anthem, it is simply glorious, and incredibly touching.
It's been mentioned by many listeners of music from Season 4 Battlestar Galactica that a fan favourite highlight is the “Dreilide Thrace Sonata No. 1.″ It is sheer awesome (though awesome is the entire Battlestar Galactica Season 4 2-CD set). This music is Bear McCreary's statement, testament, a love song and a final goodbye by and from Bear, a showcase of the evolution of this still-youthful composer to the universe that was and is Battlestar Galactica.
There are many lovely, stirring, and jamming nuggets on the Season 4 CD including as McCreary discloses on his namesake blog, his personal favourite example of "beautiful dissonance" in BSG called “Among the Ruins.” Yes, it is beautiful but so much more than that--stirring, innovative, primal, brilliant.
One of the most compelling characters in Battlestar Galactica was played by the unforgettable James Callis who is one of those rare actors that can convey so much with just a facial gesture. Callis can articulate a lot of truth in one paragraph as well. Of McCreary and his music, Mr. Callis' liner notes statement says:
"It would seem to me that most music on TV you don't end up craving, discussing with all and sundry as to how it affected you. It is very unusual in a drama for the music to be so compelling--compulsive--so signature. And BSG was not just another drama--but a Space Drama to boot!"
So Say We All!
As SciFi Scoop notes, Bear McCreary’s epic score to the fourth season of Battlestar Galactica first printing sold out in pre-orders.
It was released on July 28 and "the album has since rocketed into the top 10 for music sales on Amazon, and already a number of glowing reviews are popping up online."
I agree too with SciFi Scoop that Battlestar Galactica's soundtrack was robbed of its due glory by the Emmy Award folks, however I expect from checking in with the way the set is selling out that the Emmy's have just given us another reason to look elsewhere for guidance in seeking quality material deserving of award(s).
(Read more good sentiments to back up the sales at : SciFiScoop, Soundtrack.net, Den of Geek,
Airlock Alpha, and from a selection of reviewers on Amazon.)
La-La Land Records proudly presents its 100th soundtrack release, the 2-CD Set BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: SEASON 4. Acclaimed BATTLESTAR composer Bear McCreary pulls out all the musical stops with his sensational music score to the fourth and final season of the critically lauded Sci-Fi Channel television series starring Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, James Callis, Tricia Helfer and Katee Sackhoff.
McCreary enriches and expands his glorious, one-of-a-kind mix of orchestra, vocals, rock, world-beats and synth. A sonic powerhouse that lives on beyond this beloved television show. Disc One collects Season Four's best musical moments up to DAYBREAK, the series finale, which is presented on Disc Two. A 20-Page CD booklet contains exclusive liner notes from the show's cast and crew.
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